Resto Rants....


I understand customers.
Honest, I really do.
After all, I am very often a customer myself. At the local supermarket, cinema, petrol station, or even another restaurant, I am a customer. So, if I say I understand customers, I really mean it. It’s not as if they’re from outer-space. Well, a few of them are, but we won’t go into that.
They’re more often than not, your next door neighbour, the supermarket checkout girls, etc… Maybe the odd restaurant inspector, every now and then.

As a restaurant customer and an industry insider, I really enjoy attentive service, a smiling waitress, one who listens to your order carefully and gets it right. “Medium rare? That’s how I like it, sir.”

But sometimes, an attentive wine waiter can spoil your meal. As your glass is topped up between sips you find that you’ve guzzled your fairly expensive wine well before you’ve finished your starter.
“Can I get you another bottle, sir?”
On one occasion lately, an over-zealous sommelier as they like to be called, grabbed the bottle off my hand as I tried to top up my glass.
“Does he think I am incapable of pouring myself a drop? Is there a special way of filling your glass?”

Oh, and the other thing that truly annoys me is the giant black pepper grinder! As introduced by cheap Italian trattorias in the 70’s. As if the carefully prepared food is going to be improved by a pinch of black pepper! Mind you, in some restaurants, it can be.
And this archaic practice has led customers to underrate your restaurant if you don’t happen to own a porn-sized grinder.
As always I say if you can’t beat them, join them.

“Black pepper, madam?”
“What? On my ice cream?”

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Par confiance je n'ajoute jamais de poivre !
Une chose bien faite ne souffre pas d'être dénaturée !
Comme pour le vin ,on m'a proposé en dégustation des noix puis un vin ,à ne pas faire !Sauf si le vin est bon !

Krimo said...

C'est une "mode" dans les restos italiens en Grande Bretagne. Les serveurs latins offrent aux clients du poivre moulu à table à l'aide d'un moulin géant... A la maniére d'un toréador au point de piquer son taureau.
Un cirque!!

Trac said...

I'd probably be a bit annoyed if a restaurant didn't have freshly ground pepper, if I fancied some myself...

But size doesn't matter, it's the quality that counts!

Anonymous said...

Ils sont fous ces italiens par Toutatisse !!

Krimo said...

Trac, can you remember the time you saw white pepper at restaurants? I disliked it a lot but not as much as a waiter dangling his gigantic peppermill to all and sundry...;o)
So threatening to a Mediterranean guy!

Oui, et à propos de Toutatis, hier j'ai acheté Le Fils d'Asterix en Anglais. Mais, cela n'a pas le même effet qu'en Francais.
J'avais toute la collection au vieux pays.

Zéphyr said...

Le client est roi ! C'est la devise consacrée.
Il faut le prendre avec tact et dignité.

Nous devons le ménager sans pour autant perdre sa foi. C'est l'exigence même du métier qui le dicte. Toujours être au service du client.

Trac said...

haha - I came over here earlier, left a comment and then remembered at the very last minute that this is a 'business blog' and not a personal one.

So rather than bring the tone down too much, I changed my mind! :O)

But let's just say I was lying about size not being important!?

(I've never actually worked out what the point is in ground white pepper?)
x

Krimo said...

Notre devise est: "The customer is always right... until he's left!"
Cela veut dire que le client a toujours raison (Droit) jusqu'à ce qu'il s'en aille. (Gauche)
C'est un jeu de mots...

Krimo said...

T, when it comes to meat and two veg, size is definitely important.

Trac said...

And to think I was worried about bringing the tone down? :O)

Krimo said...

And on Sundays, you can also serve giant Yorkshire puddings...

Zéphyr said...

Tu l'as bien dit : nous sommes toujours quelque part des clients.

Alors ! n'oublions pas cette règle d'or.
Le client est en nous. Après tout, on est plus consommateur que producteur ou prestataire de service.